Murdock was going crazy. He was sure of it now, if he hadn't been before. Many times he had found the label of insanity posted to him like a warning light, but as always, he had ignored it. His carefree nature prevented him from dwelling upon serious subjects and devoting any amount of thought toward them, though often the claims of, "You're crazy!" had been meant only in the light of teasing, and had followed some ridiculous stunt or other. Now, however, he was convinced that these weightless accusations held some truth.

His wings were spread out from his sides, his back damp from condensation as he rode a swell of warm air above the tree tops. Overhead, the cloud was low and roiling, the dirty grey masses shifting and twisting despite the absence of wind. He had watched them in awe for several minutes, simply letting the physics of flight keep him aloft while he diverted his attention toward the heavens. The clouds, overcast a few thousand feet up with a broken layer of hanging mere feet above his head, seemed to be coming alive.

The young storm cell brought with it a threat of rain, but that hardly concerned Murdock for the moment. He was lost in thought, emerald eyes searching the smooth bumps of thick vapour for something he was sure had been there only a moment ago. As he had flown toward the mountains, disregarding the ground which lay several hundred feet below in favour of attempting to discern shapes in the cloud layer above, he had seen a shape. It was more than a shape, though; it had been a figure, a creature.

The fine, sculpted head of an animal had seemed to materialize against the mottled backdrop of grey, before lowering toward him. It was darker in colour, but oddly patterned, like snow that had been littered with ash. A foreleg had followed, thin and unmistakable, and shortly after, yet another appeared. It seemed as though the beast was crawling from the cloud layer itself. Though on reflection the image had seemed to appear slowly, in reality it had lasted a mere second. The roiling cloud had twisted, thinned, and the blended together once more, creating for one moment the silhouette of an animal.

He searched the clouds in vain, but the creature did not reappear. It had been a simple trick of the mind combined with the curious development of the cloud, though it had left him feeling strangely hollow. He tore his gaze away from the sky, eyes lowering to the smooth sides of mountains. He was approaching the Heavenly Fields, which seemed to be swamped in cloud and mist. Reluctantly, he began his descent, pulling his wings in against his sides and falling rapidly toward the ground. The animal he had seen was painfully familiar, as if it were a ghost coming back to haunt him. He cursed his imagination.

His landing was rough and uncoordinated. His wings had been spread too late, catching the mist and stirring it in rapidly swirling vortices as his hooves touched down heavily. The grass was damp with cool dew from the morning, the sun’s light weakly piercing the dense fog that had swarmed the field. The air held the warmth of summer, though it was damp and smelled of rain. There would be no chance of further flight until the weather cleared up, and so he seemed doomed to spend his afternoon in the confines of the field. His mind, at least, would keep him entertained if no one else would. He had more than enough to think about.

"talk talk talk"

@[Brisa]

Once again wandering from the lands that were now considered home the young mare took to exploring what all was to be offered. Whether it was just sheer habit or a desire to see more of life it was not uncommon for the white fae to spend much of her time wandering from place to place rather aimlessly. Before moving at such a restless pattern was her way of survival and a form of protection from anything that may be lurking around, but now it was just something she found to pass time. Thus far in her life there had been no real meaning or purpose she could find so much of the time her thoughts consumed her, tortured her and accompanied her. Even becoming part of a herd had not been a solution to this desolate feeling of impending doom and she was beginning to wonder if she would ever find meaning.

With those thoughts running rampant through her mind it was easy to lose track of time and most of all location. Raising her blue orbs to the land once more she was greeted by open grassland that carried a rather soothing feel to them. Trees were far and few in between the mounds of tall grasses that plastered the vast space with the occasional patch of colourful blooms poking through. Inhaling deeply to enjoy the peacefulness of the area she was able to relax slightly feeling the faint rays of sun catch her back and the mild breeze that carried on through. Clouds of mist clung to the grass providing a rather impenetrable wall of white yet somehow it felt in a way rather comforting. Tossing her head up high playfully she threw herself into a half buck trotting forward a few paces before dropping her head down to catch a mouthful of the moistened greenery. It was strange to feel this way but she would enjoy it while she could, eventually she would have to turn back the way she had come and hope to find her way home.

The last week or so had been full of new sights, sounds and experiences for the mare but a needed change from her old life where she barely clung to hope. Painful reminders would always plague her mentally and physically but eventually things could change for the best. Her frame still reflected the turmoil quite visibly in the form of her protruding ribs and scabby wounds but nothing would ever quite compare to the emotional damage that was hidden beneath. Flashing her tail against her sides to clear away the pests that buzzed around she was about to grab another mouthful when the ground shuddered beneath her. Her immediate thought was an earthquake sending her skittering a pace or so as she whipped her head up expecting the feeling to persist. When nothing repeated itself she began to look around rather nervously as sounds drifted her way along with the scent of rain and some stallion.

Only feet from where she stood the figure stood seemingly unfazed by the abrupt landing not paying her even a glance, if he even could see her white pelt against the backdrop. Should she approach him? Should she try and get away and pretend nothing had happened? Curiosity soon won out making her decision to approach carefully with her head lowered and her ears erect. Large wings folded easily alongside his muscled body that she couldn't seem to tear her eyes from. "Hello??" She called out a little hesitantly as she stepped closer. The damp grass felt her lower extremities wet with condensation and the fog did nothing to warm the temperature now that the sun had shrank behind some clouds. A storm was approaching bringing with it no promise of sunshine, only rain and cold.

Soon she should look for some shelter so she did not get soaked but her curiosity held her back wanting to know more about the pegasus before her. Had he come here to wait out the storm or did he have other plans? Shivering slightly from the cold seeping into her bones she stopped listening for any sort of returning comment from the stallion while her conscious complained at her for not just running the other way as she had done for years. Times were changing and this was the start she needed lest she suffer at the hands of fear.

TAGS: @[Murdock]
MUSE: Good
NOTES: Sorry for delay, been working some crazy hours this week. I hope this makes sense considering just getting off a 13 hour shift XD.

A deep breath inward brought the scents of fresh mountain air and young spring flowers to his nose. Despite the darkness that had plagued the land for so many nights, despite the struggles of his herd and the personal losses he had faced throughout the endless night, the return of the sun seemed to wash that all away. Nothing could compare to the warm rays of gold that still boldly fought their way through the fog. Soon enough, the heat would burn away the thick vapour and the fields would be left beneath a sky of unbroken blue. Even the low cloud that hung around the base of the mountain would surely disappear. His spirits were far too high for rain. He would not allow the weather to dampen his mood.

He had been to the fields many times, though each of his visits stood out to him as significant in some way. Many, many months ago, he had helped an old mare return to the skies after having spent much of the latter part of her life grounded. He had sparred with a noble mare of the Throat, and later had encountered her in the darkness on much more peaceful terms. He had also taught a young filly to fly. And today, he decided he would make yet another good memory. Once more, he would find himself returning to the Foothills with content in his heart as opposed to the emptiness he had grown so used to.

Perfectly timed to the thoughts running through his head, a voice called out through the fog. Murdock turned his head, searching through the thick, grey veil for any sign of who had called him. Unbeknownst to him, the mare was approaching from behind. He stared into the swirling mist, his mind suddenly recalling the strange creature he had seen formed by the clouds. Was it really just a trick of his mind? Was truly 'going off the deep end', as they said? In the depths of the fog, he could have sworn he saw movement. A faint shadow slipped across his vision, but as soon as it had appeared, it was gone.

He lowered his gaze to the ground, where the golden grass was interrupted by small wildflowers. Truly he could not have imagined the voice. The shadows? Perhaps his mind was tired and he was simply distracted. But hearing things? That was simply too much. Fortunately, the sound of footfalls from behind him caught his attention, and Murdock turned his head. A white mare emerged from the fog, her expression innocent and curious. She was the one who had called out.

Relief flooded through him. "Hello," he responded softly, after the pace of his heart had settled. He turned to face her, his gaze tracing over her body for a moment before returning to her face. Her scent was strange, so very different from that of the north or the sands of the south or any forest he had ever been to. Perhaps she was a stranger to Helovia, or maybe the faint scent of the sea that clung to her coat indicated that she was a member of the Edge. He had never had the fortune of meeting a member of that herd before. "I'm Murdock, General of the Foothills. And you are?" He dipped his head politely, bending one knee in a slight bow. Perhaps she would be the one to brighten his day.

"talk talk talk"

@[Brisa]

Memories served her little benefit upon greeting the stallion before her with wings that could easily the muscular stud anywhere he wanted. It was rather amazing to see from afar never mind up close as she was now. His massive wings were as white as the fog itself with brilliant green tips upon some of them, they looked so soft she was tempted to reach out and touch them but thankfully restrained her random thought before her mind carried through with any action. One could not just walk up to a stranger and feel their pelt, that was just plain creepy or at least to her. All of the events over the last many days had started to mess with her head, clearly she needed to refocus on reality.

Gently a small smile formed upon her lips at the kind greeting that met her ears. Thankfully he seemed nice enough, at least so far. She did not want to see what trouble she could manage to get herself into when her mind was so scattered and in a way lost. Not only in the literal sense of direction but in every way possible. These lands were new to her as was the sense of hope of a better future, but she still remained not knowing who she really was. It was like walking for the first time only to find that nothing was as you thought it was. In theory the long spindly legs of a foal are supposed to be functional from the moment they are born but the things don't come with any instructional manual on how to use them. Most of the time you find yourself flat of your face not knowing which direction was up, the feeling that consumed her was similar to that in some sense.

Standing in such proximity to the pegasus who was now known by the name of Murdock, brought a few different scents to her palate. It was a combination of many things but what was most prominent was the scent of rain and ice? A rather interesting combination, that really told her nothing about the land he claimed was his home, the Foothills. In passing she had heard the name before but as with much of this land she knew very little about it, well now was her chance if she wasn't to chicken to ask some questions. "My name is Brisa, and my home is in the Edge, at least thats what I think it's called anyway." Clearly she was not going to be stating any new discoveries to Murdock unless he was new as well, which she highly doubted for some reason.

"So what brings you all the way out here?" She asked almost asking two questions in one as she really had no idea where here was. It could be within one of the herd lands for all she knew, god she was useless at having a sense of direction. As she finished speaking a low rumble of thunder sounded up overhead as she glanced up towards the heavens. The storm was coming in faster than she had anticipated, not that it really made much difference to her situation, she was still lost and without shelter. Murdock's polite bow had brought a smile to her face that seemed to help lighten her mood some, a rather nice feeling on such a gloomy day.

TAGS: @[Murdock]
MUSE: Good
NOTES: Gah sorry for crappy post, was fumbling for a way to write tonight XD

Murdock had truly never been good at conversation. He had been raised as a warrior at home and had been sheltered throughout most of his childhood. There were many other foals in his father’s fleet, but he was not a particularly social creature. Though the opportunity to meet and interact with others had often presented itself, he had turned his back on others his age and gone off to the cliffs to play in the snow or bother his mother. From the beginning, he had always been a rather rebellious child. As an adult, he believed this had given him the independence and strength that had allowed him to get through his ordeal, but he would never truly know. Perhaps if he had been a normal child, he never would have lost his home in the first place.

Now, he had still not acquired a talent for small-talk. His mind was far too scattered, too spread out across the vast wonderland of his thoughts to spend any short amount of time devoted to simple conversation. However, formalities were often expected when meeting someone new, and so he conformed to the expectations of society and put his erratic tendencies to the side for a moment. Perhaps it would do him some good to forget about what he had seen in the mist. Ever since she had left him, ever since responsibility had been thrust upon his shoulders like a weight, he had felt as though some part of him was always missing.

“Pleasure to meet you, Brisa,” he dipped his head politely. In all his time in Helovia, throughout each and every one of his adventures, he could not say he had ever come across the land known as ‘The Edge’. He had, of course, heard of it. It was somewhere he had always desired to go. It was on the northern borders of the land, positioned atop cliffs that overlooked the sea and sheltered by thick forests. In every way it sounded as though it resembled the home he had left behind. While the Foothills had quickly become his second home, a place he had grown to love, he could never deny his desire to return to the heights of the mountains where he was raised.

A slight shrug of his shoulders followed her question, accompanied by a thoughtful smile. “Nothing in particular. Just stretching my legs”. In truth, he had come to the fields out of habit for flying north. With the sun back in the sky, he craved the thin air that slid so smoothly over his wings and allowed him to reach greater speeds. He wanted more than anything to travel north to the Steppe, but there was nothing there for him anymore. He would only be greeted by snow and dark shorelines, and the emptiness that awaited him would be too much to bear.

“It must be quite a climb up the cliff side,” he nodded toward the path he guessed she had taken, barely visible through the thick mist. He had never walked up to the fields, as he had never had reason to. When one had wings, why walk? “What brings you here? Isn’t the Edge quite a ways away?” He suspected she was new to Helovia, as her snow-white coat had not yet acquired the scent that usually clung to those native to the land. He wondered what life would hold for her here, as he had once wondered what path his own life would take when he arrived in the threshold so many months ago. He hoped her fate would be far better than his.

"talk talk talk"

@[Brisa]

Often she wondered what the lands would look like from above, with everything appearing much smaller than it actually was. Would such a sight be breathtaking or would it be rather depressing to see what changes the years make to the land. Soaring with the birds while it seemed like a neat opportunity, the mare could not help but see the fear that would come with it as well if it was her up there. While travelling would become easier as would escaping from various situations her heart was not in the skies but likely on the ground where there was secure footing beneath her hooves. Many emotions came with this thought process as the realization once again became clear that she did not know where her heart belonged. It was about as lost as she was in this lifetime wondering where it was that she belonged, constantly searching for something to feel right.

Murdock must be well familiar with these lands being able to see what many of them only dreamed of seeing. Maybe once this god forsaken storm passed he could point her in the direction of home, well the edge. At the mention of the cliffs her head turned to the direction indicated, that had been the way she had come. Did she walk right by the edge without knowing it? With her luck it was likely. “What brings you here? Isn't the Edge quite a ways away?” Great so there goes her idea that she might be able to find her way home with Murdock's help, oh well its not like she had a sense of direction anyway.

"The edge.. its...its somewhere." She admitted wishing she actually had some idea where she was to begin with. "I don't really know where I am going to be honest, I just went for a walk to clear my head and well, here I am." Her gaze fell to the ground beneath her feet embarrassed with her whole situation. This fog was definitely not being any help whatsoever, if it cleared maybe she could recognize something familiar. It would be a long shot but maybe her only chance unless she ran into someone else that knew directions.

If she ever managed to get back home again it would likely be best to not leave the area again and wind up lost. It was not the best feeling especially to someone who already feared whatever lay around the next corner would eat her or worse. As the clouds rolled overhead precariously darkening with each minute that passed a few drops of water splashed onto her forehead, great here comes the rain she thought half sighing. This day was just getting better and better, what was next lightning to strike her? It was sad that the thought actually was deemed a possibility in her mind as it would end this roller coaster for her freeing her from the torment and daily pain. It would be considered a freak accident instead of suicide, not that it really mattered as no one would notice her disappearance in the first place. "You don't happen to know where the Edge is do you?" She asked softly trying not to glare up to the heavens as more rain fell.

TAGS: @[Murdock]
MUSE: Good
NOTES: Nada

It was clear that the mare was new to the area. She must have wandered, curious about the new world she had found herself in, and become lost among the dense fog and winding footpaths. There had been a time when he, too, did not know his way around Helovia. Over time, he had grown to recognize each rise and fall of the land and every bend in the shoreline. However, he was not totally familiar with the layout of his home. The Edge was one of the few places he had not yet been, as he had never had reason to visit the herd land. Unfortunately, if she was lost (which she seemed to be), he would be little help in guiding her home.

He nodded with a smile as she confirmed his suspicions. “It’s easy to get lost at first. But, there’s always a way home.” The rain began to fall as he spoke, dripping down through the thick layer of fog to soak into his dark hide. His coat twitched as the drops landed heavily on his back. He still hated the rain, how it soaked his body and stung his eyes. Freezing rain at higher altitudes was of course extremely unpleasant, as it would form an uneven layer of rime across his feathers and make flying difficult. Despite what an old friend had told him, despite her encouragement to view the precipitation with appreciation, he still resented the start of the downpour.

He laughed softly, more out of sympathy than ridicule. “I’m afraid I have no clue. But, I have acquired something of a natural sense of direction and I’m sure that, together, we can get you home,” he smiled softly, glancing toward the south, back toward the path she had come up. He knew that the Edge was on the northern shores of Helovia, slightly to the west of the land bridge that connected the mainland to the Basin. It would be a long walk, several days at least, but of course much shorter to fly. However, it was likely that there was some well-worn path somewhere along the way that they could locate, and from there onwards, she could find her way home. He could grow to be an annoying travel companion after some time, anyways, and she would likely enjoy the journey more if she were allowed some peace and quiet.

"“If you’d like, I can try to help you find a path back to the Edge. If we start heading back the way you came, surely you will recognize something and you can find your way back from there.” He hesitated for a moment, sweeping his gaze across the pale skies, flooded with fog, down toward the hazy horizon line. The visibility was very low, and it would be almost impossible to fly, anyways. He stepped through the tall grass toward the path, sweeping a wing out from his side to indicate their direction of path as he flashed her a bright smile. "“It’s all downhill for the first while!” He did not often travel on foot, as it was rather impractical for him. However, his spindly legs could likely use the workout.

"talk talk talk"

@[Brisa]

“It’s easy to get lost at first. But, there’s always a way home.” Sure if you were anyone other than herself, she thought silently. If only the stallion knew how utterly hopeless she was with directions. With the jumble the played out consistently within her mind she quite often forgot certain important details that were key to the whole directions in the first place. If she was able to get out of her mind more often then maybe she might have a hope of learning this new land. Until that time she would likely be eternally lost and at the mercy of everyone she met. So far all she had managed to do was to get herself even more lost than she had been in the first place. There had been many moments where she had believed to be on the right path only for it to take a turn and lead her even farther from her home.

“I’m afraid I have no clue. But, I have acquired something of a natural sense of direction and I’m sure that, together, we can get you home,” Glancing up to Murdock's face in surprise as his words sunk in she couldn't understand why he would be so kind as to help her find her way. No one had ever been kind enough to do something for her in the past, what had changed? “If you'd like, I can try to help you find a path back to the Edge. If we start heading back the way you came, surely you will recognize something and you can find your way back from there.”

A smile played at her features at such a kind gesture from a complete stranger. Such kindness was something she was not accustomed to even in the slightest but it was such a nice feeling to know someone was willing to help. " I would appreciate any help, thank you." She replied gratefully as a feeling of relief swept over her for the first time since setting out on this journey. "I really don't know how much I will recognize as I think I have been walking in circles for most of today and the day before." She felt her cheeks flush as she admitted her bad sense of direction. It was funny in its own way as she pictured the route she might have taken, for all she knew she had already been to this place numerous times before.

Raising her head again she squinted her eyes to the fog attempting to remember anything that stood out in her memory, a tree perhaps or maybe some rock formations. Thinking back to her conversation with Apollo when she had first come to Helovia she could remember him saying something about how to recognize the borders. What exactly seemed to evade her at the moment but maybe she might remember if she didn't think about it so hard. The white fog was rather limiting to her vision making it hard to see much of anything and the cold rain was starting to give her a chill. Regardless of how she felt she needed to keep walking as she did not want to seem as some weakling that couldn't handle a little bit of rain. "I hope you have a better sense of direction then I do." She said lightly trying to joke around. "Otherwise we both might be lost for awhile or at least until you can fly out of here."

Shaking the water from her face she turned her attention to following the direction the stallion had indicated hoping that she didn't end up walking into something. If there was something out there she would find it, as it was always the way. She almost seemed like a magnet for disaster and quite often managed to embarrass herself. Maybe today her luck would prove to be different she thought chuckling softly to herself.



TAGS: @[Murdock]
MUSE: Good
NOTES: I apologize for the delay, work has kept me quite busy lately.

Murdock brushed through the tall grass, making his way toward a worn trail that led down the side of the steep hill. He had never walked this path before, as he had never had reason to. Any travel he had done that exceeded a few meters was always done by air and many paths were unfamiliar to him. From the fields, he had no idea how to reach The Edge. He knew it was west of their position, and likely somewhat farther north as it was on the coast. From the air, it was likely he would be able to find it with little difficulty and in little time. However, following a labyrinth of paths through dark forest on foot would be an entirely different story.

“It’s my pleasure,” he called over his shoulder to the mare as he continued on down the path. “I only hope I can be of some help to you.” The ground sloped steeply downward before him, thick mist obscuring what lay below. The grass along the hillside was tall and coarse, pale wildflowers pushing up from the earth in various places alongside moss-covered boulders. It was a rather dreary looking place at the time, as low cloud was blotting out the sunlight and rain had begun to fall. Normally when he visited the fields, the sky was clear and blue and one could see every detail on the distant mountains. They did not have such a nice view today. Poor weather always soured his mood, but the task of navigating would likely take his mind off the wet and cold.

He continued to lead the way down the path as they descended the hill, picking their way around large rocks and sheer drop-offs as the path wound across the earth in sharp switchbacks. Whoever had thought to walk up this mountain in the first place must have been crazy. Through the mist, Murdock could see that the ground leveled off somewhat not too far ahead of them. His legs were aching from holding his body at such an angle, and a change in the incline of the land hopefully mean they were getting closer to the base of the hill.

His ears twisted back as she spoke, his head turned slightly so he could hear her over the sound of the wind and the hiss of the rain. He laughed with her, nodding slightly. “Yes, fortunately throughout my years I have gained a good sense of direction. However, it’s of little use when I don’t know the location of our destination.” The land leveled out somewhat as the trail veered to the left, and the mist was not quite so thick here. The air had a distinct chill to it, though, and he could tell they had come farther north. “Recognize this?” He asked, stepping off the trail into the tall grass as he turned to her.

The ground was relatively flat and smooth around them, the grass growing in uneven patches around the clearing. The tree line lay ahead of them, marking the beginning of the forest and the base of the mountain. There were little landmarks aside from the sharp curve of the path and the edge of the forest, which was made up mostly of coniferous trees. None of them stood out to him, though one of the taller pines had several branches missing off one side closer to the top. It was a minor detail, something one would not pick out unless they were looking for it. “This is probably the way you came. The path appears to lead farther into the forest. Do you think we’re headed the right way?”

"talk talk talk"

@[Brisa]